


The Plight of Survival

by Jin_Saito



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, Post-Time Skip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:47:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24635563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jin_Saito/pseuds/Jin_Saito
Summary: People have died and suffered from the Empire’s onslaught against the Church. Commonfolk lost their homes, families, and lives. Mutual agreements among allied Houses crumbled and were torn asunder. The Archbishop has gone missing, and now those remaining citizens and devout believers became stray. Previous schoolmates clashed, placed blades on one another’s throats, and worse, slayed each other as they held true to their beliefs. Friends turned into mortal foes, peace seemingly slowly drifting away from the people’s grasps. For now, personal ambitions of Fódlan’s people, such as marriage and building families, are put on hold. As long as the evil is not put to rest, their dreams will remain delusions, buried underneath the cruel words of history.
Relationships: Hilda Valentine Goneril & Claude von Riegan, Hilda Valentine Goneril/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9
Collections: Hilclaude Week 2020





	The Plight of Survival

Five years after the tragedy brought onto Garreg Mach, and the entirety of Fódlan, the once innocent children and students of the monastery find themselves thrown into the aftermath of chaos. The whereabouts of the Blue Lions have vanished, as harsh winds brought forth ill rumors that the supposed King Dimitri of Faerghus is presumed dead. Edelgard, otherwise known as the Flame Emperor and the Empress of the Adrestrian Empire, continues to seek power by trampling onto nearby lands to broaden the reach of her territory. As to why she turned her back on the Church, no one knows; however, one noble is well-aware of what needs to be done: put an end to Edelgard’s apparent rampage and bring peace to not only Fódlan but its neighboring countries as well.

The Golden Deer are always, and will be, steadfast in carrying out their leader’s course of actions for that purpose.

Many, Lorenz included, have doubted Claude’s intentions in leading the Alliance due to his shady background, and the fact that he was introduced to the rest of the leading Houses in the Leicester Alliance a mere year before he enrolled into the Officers Academy. However, he has proven his worth and somewhat peculiar methods in leading his House for the past five years.

Now that the Blue Lions are presumably decamped and the Black Eagles succumbing to their House Leader’s treachery, Claude aims to crush the Empire by fortifying and reuniting the Alliance under his rule, such as requesting aid from House Daphnel and to go as far as appealing support from Almyra.

As such, Claude has set his eyes on taking the impregnable Fort Marceus, which lies between the Alliance and Enbarr, the Empire’s capital. Based on intel, the Death Knight is placed as the fort’s commander, thus requiring the Alliance to tread carefully on their movements to avoid suffering heavy casualties. Claude seeks the aid of Nader, Almyra’s greatest general, and gather his strongest fighters, formulating a grand scheme in the process.

After all, Almyra is said to be a land of brutes.

“Are you worried, Claude?”

“I hate how you can easily see through me.”

A week before their departure to seize Fort Marceus, Claude finds himself gazing at the night sky from the ruined monastery’s cemetery. Hilda, who is taking a casual stroll outside, decides to join her old friend —and her soon-to-be “king”— thinking of initiating a conversation with him, perhaps some more. Although it is not made official nor formal, Claude and the rest of the Alliance had put Hilda as his retainer for better or for worse, and Lorenz as his second-in-command should something happen to him and Hilda.

Hilda stands by his right side, also gazing at the night sky with absent stars. “Well, we’ve known each other for a long time. I wonder, after this what will happen? After taking Fort Marceus, I mean. We’re… nearing our goal.” It is unusual for Hilda to show, let alone, be anxious in regards to their battles. Truly, time and the incident, although ominous, played a big role in shaping the students to be mature emotionally, mentally, and daresay physically. Claude finds amusement in this. “There’s nothing left to do once we enter Enbarr. That said, there is no turning back. Either we push through and put an end to Edelgard’s operations, or die. But the last one is never an option for me,” he replies nonchalantly. Hilda becomes uneasy from Claude’s answer, but she knows it is true.

Suddenly, she bows her head with downcast eyes. It is extremely rare to see Hilda looking at her shoes, and this took Claude’s attention, albeit not in a negative way. “What’s wrong? Worried about messing your pretty nails and perfectly kempt pink hair? Or maybe tripping on your high heels and snapping them in half?” He makes a failed attempt at humor to lighten the mood.

“That’s not it, you dummy! It’s just…” Her voice loses a small amount of vim. Meager it may be, it is enough to make Claude feel troubled. “...We used to be so so happy. Sure, we were all from different classes, yet… we built friendships, fought, and reconciled. But… I guess pacifying this fight against the three houses is not an option. I don’t want to blame Edelgard, but… I just, this is too painful for me. We were forced to… to kill Ashe in the Valley of Torment. Who else do we need to cut down?!”

Hearing Hilda’s apprehensions takes Claude back to what and who they were five years ago, before Edelgard’s treason towards everyone. Although from different lands and birthright, commoners and nobles alike mingled with one another. He still remembers how the students from different houses would spend their time doing their hobbies, sharing meals, asking advice from others, studying together, bellowing hilarities that are enough to catch the attention of Seteth before proceeding to undergo a series of dull sermons. Enjoying each other’s companies in good and bad times were precious memories that they can look back to.

Yet, that is all there is to them. Just memories.

Dwelling into the past, and finally accepting that those wonderful moments will no longer be brought back no matter how many years pass, causes Claude’s heart to feel something foreign. Something that he had never felt before.

Sheer rage.

He feels Hilda gently grasp his clenched and slightly trembling fist. Shock is apparent on his face, as he himself failed to realize that his hand has turned to a knuckle. “This reminded me of something you told me five years ago,” says Hilda. Claude looks at her and says no words, though she can easily decipher his look as ‘Which one? I’ve told you many things.’ She smiles wryly and imitates his speech pattern, which resulted in an utter failure. “I’d let you grasp me any day. My hand, my heart, and even my neck.” That made Claude snicker.

“First, I was seventeen. You know, a teenager. Second, that definitely does not sound like me, not with your girly voice. Third…” He trails off, lightly kicking the dust on the ground. It is his way of attempting to reduce his tension, and Hilda knows this very well.

“Third?”

“Look, I believe I’ve told you this some months ago, too. About me introducing you to my parents.”

Hilda’s heart skips a beat. “O-Oh, that. I recall that ever so vividly! Not that I have been planning this from the start, but maybe after the war is over, we can start making arrangements. Hm, but you have to deal with my brother first. You know how he is, the typical overprotective type of older brother towards his sister. Not as much as Seteth but you know, he’s getting there. Oh! I also need to leave a lasting impression on your mother. From what you have told me so far, she isn’t very feminine and would most probably exchange punches with me as a way of greeting. Everyone knows I’m a delicate little flower, but I’ll put in some effort to impress her.”

“It’s… nice of you to think that far ahead,” Claude can only stare at her with amusement, though a tad bit perturbed at how buoyant she quickly became. “And quite surprising to see and hear you sound so excited about the future. If memory serves me correctly, you are so lazy, you would ask someone else to bathe you.” Hilda playfully strikes his chest with her bare fist and retorts. “How mean! I’ll have you know, I adore helping people. Ask Marianne.”

“Perhaps we’ll both know if we spend more time together,” Claude teases, catching Hilda off-guard. He continues. “Let’s see. First, we all better stay alive and see through this hellish world Edelgard had left us to live into. Then, we celebrate our victory with a huge feast. Third, I will make preparations to schedule a roundtable conference with the Alliance Leaders. And then…” As Claude goes on about this ideal plan from present to future, all the while reassuring their victory against the Empire, Hilda cannot help but study his features, placing her focus on his weary eyes of dark green hue.

 _“He’s tired. So tired,”_ she notes mentally.

Lost in her own plethora of personal thoughts, the only thing that broke her off from her stupor is Claude’s indirect proposal.

“...After all of those are settled, I’ll willingly let you grasp my heart next. I ask that you allow me to do the same to you. ‘Til then, promise me you’ll stay alive, for the both of us.”


End file.
